Part 10 (2/2)
”A gentleman!” cried mother, ”a gentleman alone?”
”Yes, madam, an unmarried gentleman.”
I looked at mother. Mother's face turned a little pale. We had neither of us said anything of the possibility of there being unmarried gentlemen in the house, and I think mother had a sort of dim understanding that the entire establishment was to be filled with women and married couples. Now she glanced at Jane, and said in a hesitating voice--
”I always felt that something unpleasant would come of this.”
Jane stared back at her.
”What do you mean, Mrs. Wickham? The gentleman to whom I allude is a real gentleman, and it would be extremely difficult for me to refuse him, because he happens to be a friend of the friend who lent me the seven thousand pounds capital.”
”There is a secret about that,” I exclaimed, ”and I think you ought to tell us.”
Jane looked at me out of her honest twinkling eyes, and her resolute mouth shut into a perfectly straight line; then nodding her head she said--
”We cannot refuse this gentleman; his name is Randolph. He signs himself James Randolph, and specially mentions the friend who lent the money, so I do not see, as the house is almost empty at present, how we can keep him out. I should say he must be a nice man from the way he writes. You have no objection to his coming, have you, Mrs.
Wickham?”
Still mother made no answer, but I saw a hot spot coming into both her cheeks.
”Didn't I tell you, Westenra,” she said after a pause, ”that matters might be made very disagreeable and complicated? To be frank with you, Miss Mullins,” she continued, ”I would much rather have only married couples and ladies in the house.”
”Then, my dear madam, we had better close within the week,” said Jane Mullins in a voice of some indignation. ”You ought to have arranged for this at the time, and if you had mentioned your views I would certainly not have joined partners.h.i.+p with you. What we want are ladies _and_ gentlemen, and so many of them that the commonplace and the vulgar will not be able to come, because there will not be room to receive them. As to this gentleman, he has something to do in the city, and likes to live in Bloomsbury, as he considers it the most healthy part of London.” Here Miss Mullins began to talk very vigorously, and the tip of her nose became suspiciously red once more.
”I propose,” she continued, ”as he is quite indifferent to what he pays, charging Mr. Randolph five guineas a week, and giving him the small bedroom on the drawing-room floor. It is a little room, but nicely furnished. He will be a great acquisition.”
”May I see his letter?” asked mother.
”I am sorry, Madam, but I would rather no one saw it. It mentions my friend, and of course my friend would not like his name to get out, so I must keep the letter private, but if Mr. Randolph makes himself in any way disagreeable to you ladies I am sure he will go immediately, but my impression is that you will find him a great acquisition. I will write to him to-night, and say that he can have the accommodation he requires, and ask him to name the day when he will arrive.”
After this we had a great deal of talk on other matters, and finally Jane retired to her premises, and mother and I sat together in the beautiful drawing-room.
”Well, Westenra,” said mother, ”it is done. What do you think of it?”
”It has only begun, mother dear. Up to the present I am charmed. What a treasure we have secured in Jane.”
”It is all very queer,” said mother. ”Why would not she show us Mr., Mr.----what was his name, Westenra?”
”Randolph,” I interrupted.
”Why would she not show us Mr. Randolph's letter? I must say frankly that I do not like it. The fact is, West, we are not in the position we were in at Sumner Place, and we must be exceedingly circ.u.mspect.
You, for instance, must be distant and cold to all the men who come here. You must be careful not to allow any one to take liberties with you. Ah, my child, did we do wrong to come? Did we do wrong? It is terrible for me to feel that you are in such an equivocal position.”
”Oh but, mother, I am not. I a.s.sure you I can look after myself; and then I have you with me, and Jane Mullins is such a st.u.r.dy little body. I am sure she will guide our s.h.i.+p, our new, delightful s.h.i.+p, with a flowing sail into a prosperous harbour; and I cannot see, mother, why we should not receive a man who is a real gentleman. It is the men who are not gentlemen who will be difficult to deal with. Mr.
Randolph will probably be a great help to us, and for my part I am glad he is coming.”
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